Chess Here

i_play_slowly
23 ( +1 | -1 )Knights vs. BishopsIn Silman's "Reassess Your Chess," he says, "A Knight is often superior to a Bishop on the fifth rank," but he does not explain why. My question: Why would a knight generally be superior to a Bishop on the fifth rank? Thanks to all who reply.

alberlie
19 ( +1 | -1 )No...... not exactly what he says. He says that the site that is faced with the knight on the sixth is often happy to trade it off and invest a rook for the knight and it's supporting pawn.

i_play_slowly
57 ( +1 | -1 )Silman quote"A Knight on the fifth [rank] is a powerful attacking unit and is usually stronger than a Bishop. * A Knight reaches the zenith of its potential on the sixth rank. Here it eats most other pieces alive and the defender is often happy to sacrifice a Rook for the offending horse and the pawn that protected it" (p. 15). * Silman's opinions in this regard, of course are based on tradition: * "To have an enemy knight planted at e6 is worse than a rusty nail in one's knee" (Bogoljubow). * "The great master places a Knight at e5; mate follows by itself" (Tartakower).